State of the Catherine Update

[catherineldf]

Well, this month is the proverbial mixed bag. I just wrapped 3 events in a row, all pleasant and resulting in some sales. Then I torqued up my bad hip at West St. Paul Pride so I've been limping around for the past few days. So this week:

• Bad hip and leg issues. much ouch
• Smashwords book sale on Queen of Swords Press titles!
• Just did the first big round of paperwork to get Jana's CADI application in. This is for the whole process of getting her evaluated and tapping into county funds since she's too young for federal. She's getting lost more often and is less interactive so if I can get CADI funds, I can get her into things like adult daycare and assisted living and so forth. Fingers crossed that it goes smoothly.
• We have a new book coming out this Thursday! Dee Holloway's new historical fantasy novella, Little Nothing, is terrific and we can hardly wait for you to discover it!
• I have a new list up at Shepherd.com - "Best Fantasy Tales About Women Over 40" I had some fun with this one and think it's pretty solid.
• Blood Moon is out in Audiobook and Audiobook.com has a promo sale on it.
• I am experimenting with different sizes of ollas, terracotta jars that you plant in your yard or pots and fill with water, which then gradually seeps into the soil. I'm not ready to deal with buried soaker hoses and we do have a drought so we'll see if these help.
• The roof, the siding, the insurance, the endless phone calls. Maybe we're getting new siding on the garage and around the windows due to hail damage?
• Mother Earth's Gardens field crew came by and did an epic cleanup on the yard. It looks much better, except for the bare spots which I now want to fill with things. Except drought and the wrong season for planting.
• On Friday, I get to go into HCMC for not one, but two procedures! My mammogram last month was a tad iffy so it's Boob Smoosh 2 plus an ultrasound for me...right after I get a steroid shot in my hip. Am I worried? Maybe a little. A friend is coming with. Needless to say, no Diversicon for me this weekend. I might be spreading Mom's ashes down at Prairie Oaks Eco Garden on Sunday though, assuming her memorial brick is ready and I'm up to drive to a suburb.

Have I mentioned I'm tired and sore? Because yes. Anyway, off to bed with me. Please send good thoughts that I weather the rest of this week. And maybe go buy a book or ask for one of ours at your library. Every bit helps.

Comments

[pameladean]

Even for you this is quite the list.

Hoping quite fervently for a very ordinary result for the second book squish (one is enough, good grief) and ultrasound (no squish but so much POKING, my condolences).

Your mentioning ollas made me think of Jessamyn West's Cress Delahanty, which I think is the only other place that I have ever seen that word or seen the object described. I wonder if you've read it, since after all you do know Elise, who pressed it on me, and very rightly, too.

P.

[catherineldf]

Thank you! I have not read, but do remember her mentioning it. Next library trip. Unrelated, but have you read “Pomfret Towers” by Angela Thirkell? You might it amusing. On the Pym/Austen continuum, but set in Britain between the wars. People you would never want to meet at a weekend house party, a heroine with social anxiety and some very amusing moments so far (I’m not done with it yet).

[pameladean]

Ha, I notice that I typoed "boob squish" as "book squish," which is completely different.

I have been kind of circling Angela Thirkell for some time and should just introduce myself, it seems.

P.

[marthawells]

Crossing all the fingers and toes that your boob smoosh and ultrasound turn out normal. And that Jana's application goes through easily.

[catherineldf]

Thank you! Seeing as the matter will take some time, really hoping the former goes very smoothly.

[mmerriam]

That is an awful lot going. I'm over here with my fingers crossed things work out and get better.

[catherineldf]

Thank you!